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McCain: 'We're Not Sending Any Negative Message'

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August 12, 2008 7:43 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Rigel Anderson Report: In an interview with National Public Radio which is set to run Wednesday on "Morning Edition," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., argued that he is not sending "any negative message" in his White House run.

"We’re not sending any negative message in our campaign," said McCain. "We’re drawing differences in positions between myself and Senator Obama, which are significant. He wants to raise taxes; I want to keep them low. He doesn’t want to drill offshore or have nuclear power; I want both. I’ve never heard Steve Schmidt say we need a negative message in the campaign. …I’ve run many, many campaigns and I have never believed that we need a strong negative message."

McCain defended the tenor of his campaign when asked about a story in The Wall Street Journal that credited recently elevated advisor Steve Schmidt with the philosophy that campaigns need one positive message about the candidate and one negative message about the opponent.

The Arizona senator argued that he is not sending any negative message even though he is running a series of ads portraying Obama as a lightweight whose fame is undeserving.

When asked if his ad blaming Obama for high gas prices is a negative message, McCain pointed to Obama's vote for the 2005 Bush energy bill which McCain described as having "all kinds of tax breaks and giveaways . . . to the oil companies."

"I believe strongly that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem," said McCain.

Asked if he is comfortable with ads comparing his opponent to Paris Hilton, McCain said, "I’m very comfortable with my campaign and I strongly recommend that people who don’t find humor in that: relax, turn off the computer, and go on out and get some fresh air . . ."

McCain also spoke with NPR about the future of U.S. Russia relations.

"I don’t think that there’s going to be a re-ignition of the Cold War; don’t get me wrong," said McCain.

"I don’t think there’s going to be nuclear-weapons build-ups, etc., but I think that Russian behavior is not acceptable and we will do what we can to maintain our alliances and our friends and make the Russians understand that this kind of behavior is not a part of what we view as the 21st century."

The audio will be posted at approximately 10:00 am ET on Wednesday at www.NPR.org.

August 12, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (143)

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Today I speak for all americans. We are all Gergians...McCain 2008

Posted by: jude | Aug 12, 2008 9:46:05 PM

Every McCaine supporters are Georgians....

Posted by: james | Aug 12, 2008 9:47:05 PM

McSame: Same old negative politics even though he promised the American people that he'd run a positive campaign ....need I say more!

Posted by: Howard Gallas | Aug 12, 2008 9:47:08 PM

I think a lot of people believe that at some point in his life, Barack Obama was a Muslim. His Dad was a Muslim as well as his step Dad. He spent several years in a Muslim country (Indonesia). He can recite the Koran (the Muslim Bible) and is very proud of that. His middle name is Hussein ... in fact, all three of his names (Barack Hussein Obama) are Muslim. I don't mind if Obama had once been a Muslim (even as a child) or had been confused as to whether he was Muslim or Christian. What I find unnverving is that he continually just flat out denies that there is anything even remotely Muslim about him. The man is not Pope John Paul. He has an ambiguos past - I wish he would just explain it like it is and we can move on. He keeps denying his Muslim heritage and this just fuels the rumors

Posted by: Obama & Islam | Aug 12, 2008 9:48:36 PM

McCain sounds like Bush in saying up is down, night is day, and negative is positive. The guy and his Rovian henchmen are all delusional. His NPR interview will be fodder for Comedy Central and the late night talk show hosts. Pathetic at best!!

Posted by: Lou R | Aug 12, 2008 9:50:24 PM

McCain sure as he!! doesn't speak for me. Where does he get off making foreign policy before the election!?

Posted by: cturple | Aug 12, 2008 9:50:39 PM

To John in cape may.....You need to let the C.I.A. know about allyour inside imformantion.

Posted by: orange cat | Aug 12, 2008 10:13:44 PM

McCain is so full of it his eyes are brown! McCain ads about Obama's tax proposals are filled with multiple false and misleading claims.

People want to vote for something, not against something. "In the end, George Bush and John McCain are two sides of the same coin, and it doesn't amount to a lot of change!"
~Hillary Clinton

Posted by: sandy | Aug 12, 2008 10:40:22 PM

McCain is a guy who chased women while he was still cohabiting with his first wife, so it's not surprising that he could bring himself to tell such an obvious lie to an interviewer.

Posted by: Patrick | Aug 12, 2008 10:42:53 PM

Top Ten Reasons for John McCain to Hate Barack Obama...

1.Obama looks GREAT in sunglasses, and you look, well, like an old fart wearing sunglasses.

2. Obama has at least thirty years left to live, maybe ten times McCain's remaining number.

3. Obama has a beautiful and intact nuclear family with no bimbo history.

4. Obama hasn't and wouldn't call Michelle a trollop or a c***.

5. Obama wouldn't use the fake ass "Gas Tax Holiday" pander s**t that McCain tried to sell as a good idea.

6. Obama has become a world famous celebrity while all McCain can do is try to make that seem like a bad thing.

7. Obama is loved by citizens of other nations while McCain is surely seen as just another American joke.

8. Obama draws enormous crowds while McCain draws yawns.

9. Young people are particularly excited by Obama, while McCain put his base to sleep.

10. Obama is going to kick McCain's ass and become president.

Posted by: sandy | Aug 12, 2008 10:45:36 PM

LeeLee07 -need to catch up on the news -Wright will NOt be publishing the book in October. Noted in a press release by Wright's daughter.

Posted by: sandy | Aug 12, 2008 10:52:42 PM

LeeLee are you going to be at the convention with the other 2 puma.

Posted by: ?? | Aug 12, 2008 10:59:16 PM

LeeLee07

Do you wonder why America lags behind sooooooooo far in academics. Why our kids are soooo far behind the rest of the world. People like YOU. Instead of dwelling on the crap like this

Don't feel bad. The media readily feeds your ignorance. The most important choice that we make as americans have been reduced to britney spears, paris hilton, rev wright and waynes world. God help us.

Notice all the meadia headlines

McCain slams obama
McCain rips Obama
This and that hurts Obama
Trouble for Obama
Obama struggles.

ALL THAT IS GARBAGE.

Here we have a rookie Senator leading a Senator, war hero, 26 year legislator AND OBAMA IS IN TROUBLE. Might I add he is a minority in a yet still color polarizing country.

God Help Us PLEASE!!!!!

Posted by: Omentum | Aug 12, 2008 11:02:59 PM

maybe mccain has confused negative with positive?

Posted by: antijake | Aug 12, 2008 11:04:08 PM

Mr Green Jeans than you! I also have alist of
Top 10 Reasons for Cindy McCain to Hate Michelle Obama:

10. Michelle's a lawyer and could take care of herself in a divorce if she had to. Cindy's best option is to wait for her husband to die.

9. Michelle can rock a $60 dress from the Gap. Cindy spends more than that on her face every day.

8. Michelle can be sure her kids would actually vote for their dad if they could.

7. Michelle can be sure that if Republicans used racial slurs against Barak's family, Barack would kick some ass that needs kicking. Cindy only knows that John only kisses ass.

6. Barack doesn't have a wife #1 ghosting around on a cane - unspoken warning, "better not lose your looks, Cindy."

5. Only C-word Barak has ever called Michelle is maybe "cupcake." And that not in public. Cindy has heard her husband refere to her as a **t and trollup.

4. Barack introduces Michelle to world leaders at classy dinners with wit and grace. John awkwardly pimps Cindy out for a topless banana-eating contest in front of a bunch of drunk bikers.

3. Three words: Vietcong roleplay fantasies. Michelle never has to.

2. Michelle wasn't rich when they got married. Michlle never has to worry if she was just picked for a lifetime supply of free beer.

and the #1 reason:

1. Michelle's going to be First Lady. Cindy's not a lady at all.

Posted by: sandy | Aug 12, 2008 11:06:27 PM

PUMA

Did you puma see what old Penn had in store for Obama that was rightfully rejected.

You are right Party Unity my .... but its not Obama's doing.

PUMA'S = GOP IN DEM CLOTHING

Posted by: Omentum | Aug 12, 2008 11:08:11 PM

Demsinthe USA - just goes to show - the new Dems have better research skills than you do, are smarter than you, will not be lead into another Bush third term, and will vote in their own best interests - not the interests of the oil companies.

Posted by: sandy | Aug 12, 2008 11:09:59 PM

I hope Jeremiah makes a fortune several times over on you numskulls trolling the sea for sand to throw in someone else's eyes when your own are open shut!

Posted by: shelgirl | Aug 12, 2008 11:11:41 PM

It sucks to be McCain. Running against a guy who's handsome, charismatic, has a beautiful (first and only) wife and family, is the best orator of his generation, who can sink a 3-pointer, who can think on his feet, who was top of his class at Harvard Law, who can snap his fingers and make money rain from the sky, and who will be the coolest POTUS ever.

Posted by: sandy | Aug 12, 2008 11:12:23 PM

Omentum - I don't feel bad at all, lol. I don't know about you, but I have had a very good education AND I do know how many states there are in the United States...

By the way, "meadia" is not how you spell "media."

PUMA! 9.2 million voters and counting, coming to polls WITH you.

buk, buk, Baraaaaaack!

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 12, 2008 11:13:09 PM

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